181.7 


I 


•^Jjjf 


Report   on   the   Dismal   Sv/anp   Canal 


Ely  Samuel  Parker 


I 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
LOS  ANGELES 


REPORT 


DISMAL    SWAMP    CANAL, 


COST,  CONDITION,  AND  RESOURCES. 


COL.  ELY  S.  PARKER,  A.  ».  C.,  U.  S.  A. 


RENDERED  BY  REQUEST  OF  THE  SECRETARY  OF  THE  TREASURY, 


WASHINGTON: 

1SG7. 


TC 


REPORT 


n  WASHINGTON,  D.  C., 

OctoJer  24,  1867. 

SIR  :  In  compliance  with  Special  Orders,  No.  458,  Headquarters  of 
the  Army,  and  with  your  letter  of  instructions  dated  October  5,  1867,  I 
proceeded  to  Norfolk,  Virginia,  "for  the  purpose  of  instituting  an 
examination  into  the  condition  of  the  Dismal  Swamp  Canal,"  and  I  now 
have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  of  its  condition  and  its 
present  and  prospective  value,  all  being  the  result  of  a  careful  personal 
inspection  of  the  entire  work  : 

Originally  this  canal  extended  from  Deep  Creek,  Norfolk  county,  Va., 
to  a  point  on  the  Pasquotank,  near  South  Mills,  in  North  Carolina,  a 
distance  of  22T8D90  miles,  and  had  six  stone  locks,  two  single  and  two 
combined.  About  the  year  1840,  the  northern  end  of  the  canal  was 
extended  from  Deep  creek  to  the  Elizabeth  river,  a  distance  of  2-i^}35  miles, 
and  a  tide-lock  put  in  at  its  terminus  on  the  said  river.  Subsequently 
again,  but  previous  to  1861,  a  further  extension  was  made  at  the  south 
end  by  cutting  across  a  heavy  bend  of  the  Pasquotank  river,  a  distance 
of  3  j^  miles,  making  its  present  length  from  the  Elizabeth  river  to  its 
terminus  on  the  Pasquotank  28T902C  miles.  This  distance  may  be  divided 
into  five  levels.  Beginning  at  the  north  end,  the  first  level  runs  from 
the  Gilmorton  lock  to  the  combined  locks  at  Deep  creek.  The  next 
level  extends  to  the  Northwest  lock,  where  the  summit  level  is  reached, 
making  a  lift  or  rise  of  18J  feet  from  the  Elizabeth  river  to  the  summit. 
This  summit  is  fed  by  a  feeder  from  Lake  Drummond.  From  this  sum- 
;  mit  the  next  level  extends  to  the  South  locks,  from  which  a  last  descent 
I  is  made  into  the  Pasquotank.  The  whole  fall  or  descent  from  the  sum- 
mit level  to  the  Pasquotank  is  17|  feet.  The  different  levels  are  in 
very  bad  condition,  principally  owing  to  the  formation  of  frequent  sand 
bars,  mud  sediments,  and  other  obstructions,  reducing  the  navigable 
stage  of  water  in  the  summit  level,  at  a  fair  stage  of  water  in  Lake  Drum- 
mond, to  less  than  four  feet.  In  seasons  of  drought,  navigation  through 
the  summit  level  is  generally  suspended  for  want  of  a  requisite  supply 

471939 


of  water  through  the  feeder.     The  prism  of  the  canal  varies  in  width  at 
bottom  from  20  to  25  feet,  and  at  water  surface  from  35  to  40  feet. 

It  was  intended  that  the  canal  should  carry  5-J  feet  depth  of  water,  so 
as  to  pass  boats  having  5  feet  draught.  In  its  present  condition  this 
cannot  be  done.  To  carry  out,  therefore,  the  original  intention,  and 
put  the  present  canal  in  condition  to  pass  boats  drawing  5  feet  water, 
would  require  an  average  depth  of  cleaning  out  of  the  bottom  of  not 
less  than  one  foot,  throughout  its  entire  length.  This  part  of  the  work 
I  estimate  to  cost  $70,  000. 

Of  the  locks,  all  except  the  Gilmorton  lock  would  have  to  be  rebuilt. 
They  number  from  the  north,  Gilmorton  lock  being  No.  1,  and  was 
built  in  1840 ;  need  not  be  rebuilt,  but  the  gates  will  require  frequent 
repairing.  This  lock  will  pass  a  boat  22|  feet  beam  and  105  or  106 
feet  long,  and  is  the  widest  one  on  the  canal. 

Locks  2  and  3,  or  the  Deep  Creek  locks,  are  combined,  and  should  be 
rebuilt  entire.  Originally  constructed  in  1818,  these  locks  will  only  pass 
boats  of  17  feet  beam  and  95  or  100  feet  long.  The  earth  bank  in  rear 
of  the  chamber  walls,  owing  to  the  open  joints  of  the  face-work,  which 
was  originally  laid  in  ordinary  quick-lime,  is  constantly  caving  in,  daily 
endangering  the  stability  and  continuance  of  the  work.  It  should  re- 
ceive immediate  attention. 

The  next  structure  is  the  Northwest  lock,  built  in  1830.  It  will  pass 
a  boat  of  21 J  feet  beam  and  about  100  feet  long.  The  walls  are  in  toler- 
able condition,  but  the  banks  and  gates  are  bad,  and  the  whole  should 
be  rebuilt.  This  lock  is  at  the  north  end  of  the  summit  level. 

Culpepper  lock  is  located  at  the  south  end  of  the  summit  level,  and  was 
built  in  1820.  The  greatest  width  of  boats  this  lock  will  pass  is  16|- 
feet,  and  about  100  feet  length.  At  present  the  gates  are  new,  but  the 
walls  are  in  a  miserably  dilapidated  condition.  Many  of  the  face-stone 
in  the  chamber  are  only  seven  inches  square,  and  are  fast  tumbling  out 
into  the  lock.  This  lock  should  be  immediately  rebuilt. 

The  next  structures  are  the  combined  South  locks,  built  in  1835. 
Each  will  pass  a  boat  of  21|-  feet  beam.  The  upper  lock,  however,  will 
only  admit  a  boat  of  100  to  105  feet  in  length,  while  the  lower  one  will 
pass  one  over  110  feet  in  length.  A  portion  of  the  gates  are  good,  but 
the  mitre-sills  and  quoins  of  both  locks,  and  the  earth  banks  backing  the 
main  walls,  are  all  in  a  very  bad  condition.  The  main  walls,  though  in 
quite  a  fair  condition,  I  do  not  regard  as  safe  or  good. 


In  my  opinion  it  is  essentially  necessary  that  all  but  the  Gilmorton 
lock  should  be  rebuilt  in  order  to  properly  maintain  the  continuance  oi 
this  canal  as  a  navigable  highway.  In  the  rebuilding,  these  structures 
should  all  be  made  of  the  size  of  the  Gilmorton  lock,  which  has  the 
greatest  breadth  of  chamber,  but  is  a  few  feet  shorter  than  the  lowei 
South  lock.  No  benefit  arises  to  the  navigation  by  having  these  locks 
of  various  sizes  ;  on  the  contrary  it  is  a  detriment.  The  enlargement  of 
these  locks  might  necessitate  an  increase  in  width  of  the  prism  of  the 
canal,  though  this  is  not  essential  if  the  requisite  depth  can  be  obtained. 
These  locks  require  pile  foundations;  and  to  obstruct  the  business  of  the 
canal  as  little  as  possible,  they  would  require  to  be  constructed  to.  one 
side  of  the  present  sites.  To  repair  in  the  best  manner  possible  the 
present  locks  would  be  but  a  temporary  relief  from  present  difficulties ; 
would  be  poor  economy  and  bad  engineering. 

My  estimate  for  doing  this  work,  as  above  suggested,  is  $120,  000. 
Most  of  the  old  stone  can  be  used  in  the  new  work. 

There  are  also  four  single  track  swing-road  bridges  maintained  by  the 
canal,  all  of  which  require  rebuilding.  My  estimate  for  said  new 
bridges  is  §4,  000. 

There  is  a  feeder  from  Lake  Drummond  which  practically  supplies  all 
the  water  used  by  the  canal.  It  is  3|-  miles  long,  and  has  a  feed  and 
lift-lock  one-half  mile  from  its  head.  In  seasons  of  drought  it  has  not 
sufficient  capacity  to  supply  the  canal,  and  as  a  consequence  navigation 
is  now  and  then  suspended.  This  can  only  be  remedied  by  deepening 
it,  rebuilding  a  new  lock  with  less  lift,  and  cutting  a  channel  farther 
into  the  lake,  to  get  rid  of  a  bad  bar  that  has  formed  in  the  lake  at  the 
head  of  the  feeder,  and  prevents  a  rapid  and  easy  flow  of  water  into  the 
feeder.  The  lock  is  a  dilapidated  wooden  structure,  and  is  liable  to  fail 
at  any  moment,  which  would  necessarily  suspend  operations  on  this 
route. 

My  estimate  for  putting  this  feeder  in  good  condition,  upon  its  pres- 
ent plan,  is  $15,000.  This  line  is  used  in  connection  with  a  slight  canal 
running  from  the  Lake  to  Suffolk,  on  the  Nansemond  river. 

The  Northwest  Canal  is  a  lateral  branch  of  the  Dismal  Swamp  Canal, 
arid  leaves  the  main  trunk  nearly  one-half  mile  north  of  the  Northwest 
lock.  It  runs  in  an  easterly  direction,  and  is  finally  emptied  into  the 
Northwest  river,  at  a  distance  of  GJ  miles.  The  first  lock  is  located 
about  one  mile  from  the  main  trunk,  is  a  wooden  structure,  and  in  very 


bad  condition.  At  the  present  time  there  is  no  navigation  worth  men- 
tioning below  this  point.  Occasionally  lighters  or  flat-boats  of  very 
light  draught  may  pass.  At  the  head  of  this  lock  is  a  very  bad  waste- 
Aveir.  It  is  in  such  a  poor  condition  that  the  slightest  freshet  may  carry 
it  out,  and  no  water  could  pass  the  head  of  the  canal  for  the  levels  north, 
and  thus  navigation  be  suspended,  or  at  least  be  materially  embarrassed. 
The  Northwest  river  is  one  of  the  eastern  outlets  of  Lake  Drummond, 
and  while  the  main  canal  cuts  and  takes  in  its  waters  on  the  west  sides 
it  revives  itself  in  the  drainage  of  the  swamp  upon  the  east  side,  becomes 
quite  a  river,  and  finally  empties  into  Currituck  Sound.  This  river  in 
rainy  seasons  becomes  easily  overflowed,  and  when  such  an  event  occurs 
its  surplus  waters  find  their  way  over  the  banks  into  the  canal  below  the 
above-named  lock.  They  carry  much  debris  and  sand  with  them ;  and 
this  has  been  a  fruitful  cause  of  the  lower  part  of  this  work  filling  up. 
The  other  two  locks  upon  this  canal  are  located  near  its  entrance  into 
the  river.  The  entire  lockage  of  the  three  locks  is  14T7040  fe'et.  Since 
the  opening  of  the  Chesapeake  and  Albemarle  Ship  Canal  the  necessity 
of  keeping  this  canal  open  seems  to  have  ceased.  It  is  not  in  itself  a 
paying  canal,  and  never  will  be.  Before  the  opening  of  a  competing 
route  it  accommodated  the  people  of  this  particular  region,  and  was  a 
good  feeder  of  freight  to  the  Dismal  Swamp  route.  It  is  a  question  of 
moment  to  determine  whether  an  extensive  outlay  of  money  should  be 
made  to  maintain  6J  miles  of  unprofitable  canal,  or  whether  it  would 
not  be  wiser  to  abandon  it,  and  leave  the  people  to  use  the  Northwest 
river,  as  heretofore.  My  estimate  to  deepen  this  canal,  rebuild  the 
locks  and  other  necessary  structures,  is  $30,000. 

There  are  other  incidental  structures  connected  with  this  entire  canal — 
such  as  waste-weirs,  lock-houses,  and  the  repair  and  maintenance  of  the 
Deep  Creek  dam — which  adds  expense  to  those  sums  already  specified, 
the  aggregate  of  which  may  be  put  down  at  $20,000. 

I  have  been  thus  particular  in  giving  a  detailed  account  of  the  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  work,  so  that  the  honorable  Secretary  of  the  Treasury 
may  have  every  necessary  fact  before  him  to  determine  the  various  ques- 
tions submitted  to  me.  I  have  shown  the  present  condition  of  the  work. 
My  estimates  of  repairing  the  several  parts  of  the  canal,  and  putting 
the  whole  in  a  good  as  well  as  permanent  navigable  condition,  may  seem 
at  first  glance  too  liberal,  but  from  the  present  high  rates  of  living  and 
prices  of  labor,  and  more  especially  the  difficult  nature  of  the  country 


in  which  this  work  is  located,  I  am  fully  satisfied  that  it  will  cost  every 
cent  of  my  estimate.  To  the  estimates  herewith  submitted  should  be 
added  the  approximate  indebtedness  of  the  Canal  Company,  which  is 
about  $96,000,  making  an  aggregate  of  $355,000  as  the  sum  immedi- 
ately required  for  the  uses  and  improvement  of  this  canal. 

During  the  past  season  the  Canal  Company  have  had  examinations 
made  with  a  view  of  improving  still  more  the  navigation  of  this  route, 
by  enlarging  the  canal  to  68  feet  water  surface  and  8  feet  depth.  The 
estimated  cost  of  the  improvement  is  over  $600,000. 

I  have  not  thought  it  necessary  to  report  any  views  I  might  entertain 
upon  the  subject  of  enlargement,  non  have  I  discussed  the  advantages 
claimed  by  some  of  the  necessity  of  cutting  down  and  dispensing  with 
the  present  summit  level,  with  a  view  of  getting  more  water  from  the 
lake.  To  do  this  would  involve  a  yet  additional  expenditure  to  those 
specified  as  necessary  to  make  the  present  canal  good.  This  project 
embraces  a  consideration  which  I  am  not  aware  has  yet  been  satisfac- 
torily settled.  It  is  this :  whether  in  depressing  the  canal  and  increas- 
ing the  fall  from  the  lake,  the  porous,  spongy  nature  of  the  surface  soil 
of  the  Dismal  Swamp  would  not  permit  the  lake  to  drain  itself  to  the 
new  level  of  the  canal,  and  thus  defeat  the  object  of  the  depression  of 
the  high  level.  It  is  known  that  the  whole  surface  of  these  swamps  is 
of  a  loose,  porous  nature,  resembling  the  general  character  of  commer- 
cial peat,  and  if  a  low  drain  is  cut  through  such  soil  it  will  certainly 
leave  the  surface  dry.  I  am  not  prepared  to  say  that  this  result  would 
follow  if  the  summit  level  were  depressed,  but  the  question  is  presented 
as  one  entitled  to  consideration.  It  would  be  highly  advantageous  to 
this  navigation  if  a  greater  head  of  water  could  be  had  in  the  feeder  to 
supply  the  summit  level. 

The  history,  business,  and  financial  condition  of  this  canal  are  so  well 
set  forth  in  the  papers  I  had  the  honor  to  receive  from  your  Department, 
and  which  are  herewith  returned,  that  it  is  unnecessary  for  me  to 
repeat  them.  The  report  of  John  Kimball  and  Jno.  Jay  Knox,  dated 
April  23,  1866,  is  particularly  noticeable  upon  these  points.  By  that 
report  and  the  books  of  the  Company,  the  amount  of  money  put 
into  this  work  since  its  inception  in  1787  to  the  present  time  has  been 
over  one  and  one-quarter  million  of  dollars,  and  yet  it  is  not  in  good 
condition  and  requires  large  expenditures  of  money  to  be  made  at  once 
to  save  the  large  amount  already  invested  and  maintain  the  continuance 


8 

of  this  important  navigable  highway.  The  profits  of  all  public  works 
generally  depend  upon  the  amount  of  traffic  they  can  command  and  con- 
trol, the  expenses  of  their  maintenance  and  management.  Now,  it  can- 
not be  doubted  that  Eastern  Virginia,  below  Norfolk,  and  Eastern  North 
Carolina  must  for  a  long  time  be  dependent  for  their  development  and 
improvement  upon  water  transportation.  The  swampy  character  of  and 
the  numerous  streams  in  the  county -will,  for  years,  prevent  the  construc- 
tion and  successful  operation  of  railroads.  I  cannot  say  what  area  of 
country  is  open  to  a  communication  with  Norfolk  and  other  points  on  the 
Atlantic  coast  north  by  the  construction  of  the  Dismal  Swamp  and 
Chesapeake  and  Albemarle  Canals.  It  may,  however,  be  within  bounds 
to  estimate  the  region  of  country  to  10,000  or  15,000  square  miles. 
The  soil  yields  abundant  crops  of  corn,  wheat,  potatoes,  cotton,  and 
other  products.  Large  amounts  of  naval  stores  consumed  mostly  by  the 
United  States,  large  quantities  of  lumber,  shingles,  staves,  and  timber 
are  also  produced  in  this  region.  The  fisheries  of  this  section  are  also 
quite  a  source  of  traffic.  Until  the  completion  of  the  Albemarle  and 
Chesapeake  Sfrip  Canal,  most  of  the  articles  above  named  found  their 
way  into  the  northern  markets  through  the  Dismal  Swamp  Canal.  But 
since  that  canal  has  been  opened,  which  is  a  rival  route  and  of  much 
larger  capacity,  and  the  continued  deterioration  of  the  Dismal  Swamp 
Canal  in  every  branch  of  its  construction,  much  of  the  trade  has  been 
diverted  to  the  new  route,  and  the  old  canal  must  eventually  lose  all 
its  trade  unless  something  is  immediately  done  to  restore  the  same  to 
good  navigable  condition.  During  the  war  the  trade  of  both  canals  was 
practically  suspended.  In  1866  the  toll  receipts  on  the  Dismal  Swamp 
Canal  were  $1,415;  in  1867,  $8,615.  Its  usual  current  expenses  are 
from  $6,000  to  $8,000. 

The  receipts  of  the  Albemarle  and  Chesapeake  Canal  for  1866  were 
about  $52,000;  in  1867,  $59,500.  There  passed  over  this  canal  in 
1867,  boats  of  all  kinds,  4,243.  I  was  unable  to  obtain  the  number 
that  passed  through  the  Dismal  Swamp  route  for  the  year  ending  Sep- 
tember 30,  1867. 

The  business  of  the  South  has  been  slowly  reviving  since  the  close  of 
the  war,  and  there  is  every  reason  to  hope  that  it  will  greatly  increase  as 
governments  and  societies  become  once  more  settled  and  permanently 
established.  With  it  will  come  an  urgent  demand  for  good,  rapid,  and 
direct  routes  of  communication  to  the  great  commercial  marts  of  the 


country.  The  Dismal  Swamp  Canal  is  an  already-established  route, 
but,  as  will  be  perceived,  a  large  outlay  is  required  to  put  it  in  a  condi- 
tion to  meet  the  increasing  wants  of  the  country.  There  has  been  already 
more  money  sunk  in  it  than  the  other  canal  cost,  and  it  is  paying  much 
less  interest  on  the  investment.  It  becomes,  then,  a  simple  question  of 
finance,  whether  the  Government  will  retain  its  stock  and  put  in  more 
money  to  keep  open  and  maintain  this  route  of  navigation. 

My  own  conviction  is,  that  this  route  can  and  should  be  maintained. 
It  is  the  outlet  of  a  large  section  of  rich  country.  But  I  believe  it  can 
only  be  successfully  managed  by  a  responsible  private  corporation,  who, 
themselves  or  by  their  agents  having  an  interest,  would  be  constantly  on 
the  ground  to  manage  and  improve  it.  The  United  States,  by  disposing 
of  its  stock,  would  have  the  same  advantage  as  private  individuals,  to 
use  either  of  the  two  routes  in  the  movement  of  its  stores,  troops,  or 
munitions  of  war.  I  do  not  see  that  Government  has  now  any  special 
privileges  on  account  of  owning  stock  in  this  canal,  though  it  may 
have  had  at  some  earlier  day. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

ELY  S.  PARKER, 
Col.  and  A.  D.  C.,  U.  S.  A. 

Hon.  HUGH  McCuLLOCH, 

Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 


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